Abandoned Vehicles

Mr Allen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her proposals to penalise, deter and prevent abandoned vehicles; and if she will make a statement. [52225]

Margaret Beckett:
We are determined that keepers of vehicles should take full responsibility for them. The Finance Bill includes enabling powers to reform the vehicle registration and licensing system to improve the accuracy of the vehicle record and thus to ensure that those who abandon cars can more easily be brought to book. The Government intend to consult motoring groups and other stakeholders on detailed reforms. The maximum penalty for abandoning a vehicle is a fine of #2,500 or three months' imprisonment or both.

Imported Meat and Poultry

Mr. Beggs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from which countries meat and poultry products have been imported into the United Kingdom in the last three years. [60329]

Mr. Morley:
The attached table shows the countries from which the UK imported meat and poultry products between 1999 and 2001, as recorded by the Official Overseas Trade Statistics.

Official overseas trade data are subject to a degree of statistical error. Whilst overall level of errors will be low, there will be a much greater proportional effect on countries with low levels of trade. As such, great care is needed when interpreting the data.

PQ 6418: UK imports of meat and meat products (19992001)

1999

2000

2001

Country of despatch

Thousand tonnes

# million

Thousand tonnes

# million

Thousand tonnes

# million

Netherlands

333.2

577.6

414.2

651.8

361.0

666.9

Denmark

218.4

330.1

250.0

382.2

274.1

504.9

Irish Republic

192.4

332.3

208.5

360.4

226.1

423.7

France

155.6

231.3

142.4

216.9

141.0

228.5

Brazil

81.6

124.0

97.7

145.5

124.1

190.0

New Zealand

99.8

167.5

97.4

171.3

84.3

165.2

Germany

43.6

75.6

58.7

106.9

79.5

143.5

Belgium

42.4

72.6

43.6

77.6

42.5

81.8

Thailand

23.6

44.9

28.9

58.5

41.4

83.6

Australia

22.3

45.6

18.9

38.1

16.0

36.3

Italy

14.7

42.0

14.2

4.8

24.4

65.9

Spain

14.1

28.1

15.1

29.2

16.9

34.6

Uruguay

11.3

21.7

9.6

20.9

10.0

16.5

Argentina

10.1

18.0

10.5

19.6

6.6

11.8

Botswana

6.2

17.5

5.7

16.9

11.2

30.5

Namibia

6.7

22.8

5.7

19.9

8.6

29.0

Zimbabwe

6.5

16.2

5.9

14.8

4.6

10.4

USA

3.8

7.8

3.8

8.3

2.3

5.3

Sweden

3.8

3.1

1.7

1.7

3.0

4.4

Chile

1.8

3.2

2.5

5.1

4.2

7.8

Poland

1.8

4.2

1.7

4.2

1.9

4.8

Hungary

0.9

2.3

0.8

2.1

2.4

6.3

Croatia

0.7

1.0

0.8

1.0

0.7

1.2

Slovenia

0.5

1.0

0.7

1.0

0.8

1.3

Israel

0.1

0.3

0.4

0.9

1.0

1.8

Portugal

0.2

0.1

1.0

0.8

0.2

0.3

Switzerland

0.0

0.1

0.7

0.9

0.4

0.6

Mauritius

0.7

1.0

0.4

0.5

0.0

0.0

Swaziland

0.3

0.5

0.6

1.7

0.1

0.2

Finland

0.2

0.1

0.4

0.2

0.2

0.3

South Africa

0.3

0.8

0.2

0.5

0.3

0.6

Japan

0.7

1.6

0.1

0.2

Greece

0.1

0.1

0.3

0.5

0.3

0.6

Austria

0.1

0.2

0.0

0.1

0.4

1.4

Singapore

0.3

0.8

0.1

0.2

0.1

0.2

Iceland

0.0

0.0

0.2

0.0

0.3

0.3

Canada

0.1

0.2

0.1

0.2

0.1

0.2

China

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.1

0.1

0.1

Paraguay

0.0

0.1

0.0

0.1

0.1

0.2

Hong Kong

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.1

0.2

Russia

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Norway

0.0

0.1

0.0

0.1

0.0

0.1

Cayman Islands

0.0

0.1

Dominica

0.0

0.1

Luxembourg

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Mozambique

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Panama

0.0

0.1

Turkey

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Czech Republic

0.0

0.0

Faroe Islands

0.0

0.0

Jamaica

0.0

0.0

Uganda

0.0

0.0

India

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Vietnam

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Indonesia

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Columbia

0.0

0.0

Malaysia

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Nigeria

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Burkina

0.0

0.0

South Korea

0.0

0.0

Barbados

0.0

0.0

Eritrea

0.0

0.0

Pakistan

0.0

0.0

Antigua & Barbuda

0.0

0.0

Trinidada & Tobago

0.0

0.0

Taiwan

0.0

0.0

Dubai

0.0

0.0

Qatar

0.0

0.0

Nb. Figures rounded to one decimal place. A blank entry indicates no recorded imports for that year. Crown Copyright.

Committee Mandates

Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the mandate of the Management Committee of the common

13 Jun 2002 : Column 1360W

organisation of agricultural markets for oils and fats is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps

13 Jun 2002 : Column 1361W

to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [55249]

Mr. Morley:
The mandate of the Management Committee for oils and fats is to assist the Commission in the management of the common organisation of the market for oils and fats as established by Article 37 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 136/66. The Committee has met 17 times over the last 12 months and one official attends; the cost of this attendance to public funds over the last year was #8,500. The Committee considers matters relating to the management of the market for fats and oils.

Together with Member States, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to Xsimplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February (Com (2001) 783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government has encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agenda and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.

Peat

Mr. Breed:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when peat cutting will end at (a) Thorne Moor, (b) Wedholme Flow and (c) Hatfield Manor. [61172]

Mr. Meacher:
Commercial peat cutting has already ceased on sites previously operated by the Scotts Company (UK) Ltd at Thorne Moor and Wedholme Flow. Peat cutting on Hatfield Moor will cease by 30 September 2004. Until then cutting of peat at Hatfield Moor will be subject to revised operating protocols agreed between the operator and English Nature that will be set so as to achieve enhanced restoration of the site.

National Parks

Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the review of National Park authorities will be completed. [61132]

Alun Michael:
We expect to complete the review next month.

Devolution

Annabelle Ewing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans her Department has to review the way in which Scottish agriculture issues are dealt with by the UK Government at the EC level. [60058]

Mr. Morley
[Holding answer 10 June 2002]: As necessary, this Department will continue to deal with Scottish agricultural issues at the EU level in accordance with the provisions of the XMemorandum of Understanding and supplementary agreements between the United Kingdom Government, Scottish Ministers

13 Jun 2002 : Column 1362W

and the Cabinet of the National Assembly for Wales" (Cm 4444) and a bilateral concordat with the Scottish Executive.

Annabelle Ewing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions her Department had with the Scottish Executive in formulating the UK's negotiating position on the mid-term review of the CAP. [60057]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 10 June 2002]: The UK's negotiating position on the mid-term review of the CAP is the subject of an ongoing dialogue between this Department and the devolved administrations. It is, for example, a recurring item for discussion between my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and Agriculture Ministers from the devolved administrations at their regular meetings, most recently on 22 May 2002.

Angus Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether a Scottish Executive Minister will be a member of the UK delegation to the Agriculture European Union Council of Ministers meeting on 27 May; and what information is being provided by her Department to the Scottish Executive in connection with pre-council scrutiny by the European Committee of the Scottish Parliament. [60277]

Mr. Morley:
No Scottish Executive Minister attended the EU Agriculture Council meeting on 27 May. As regards pre-Council scrutiny by the Scottish Parliament, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 24 April 2002, Official Report, column 276W.